Electric-lighting apparatus.



ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATIUN FILED JAN-5. 1915.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

:MAL #626/ ATT'CRNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES WINT, 0F PHILAPEIIPHI.A1ENNSYIAVNIA, ASSIGNOB T0 WIRT QQMRANY.,

0F IHIIDEIPHIA, PENNSYIVNIA, A CORBQRATIQN 0F 4 ELECTRIC-LIGHTING-APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

Application-men Jannary 5, 1815, Serial No. 55.1. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, (Ennemis WLRT, aciti-V zen of the United States,residin in the city of Philadelphia, State of Penns vania, have inventedcertain new and useul Improvements in Electric-,Lighting Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for regulatf ing the amount of light givenby a plurality of electric lamps, particularly electric incandescentlamps, the quantity oflight ranging from that furnished by all the lampsat full voltage to that of one or more lamps at considerably lowervoltage.

In one of its forms my invention is embodied in simple and compactstructure whereby any number of a cluster of lam s may be brought intoor cut out of circuit, with means for cutting into or out of the circuitof one or more of the lamps resistance to vary the current in said lampor lamps.

By my invention a great range in the quantity of light produced by apredetermined number o light producingunits is possible at higheiiicienc in current consumption. This results rom the fact that some ofthe units operate only upon full voltage of the supplycircuit, withoutinterposed resistance, and the amount of light is reduced by cuttin suchunits successively out of circuit,- an the final unit or units dimmed byinterposed resistance. Therefore energy is wasted only when suchresistance is in circuit.

My invention is therefore applicable to theaters or the like where greatvariations in lighting may eliiciently be obtained.

And it will be understood that the individual lam s hereinafterdescribed may be supplanted y a group of lamps, each group beingcontrolled as described as if it were a single lamp.

For an illustrationof one of many forms my invention may take referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view, somepa-rts in elevation, of controllingmeans -for a lamp cluster.

Y Fig. 2 is a plan view of a resistance ele 5o ment and associatedparts.

3 is a bottom plan view of a brush or contact member of the switchingmechanism.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational ,view of the brushor contact with itsassociated OPH-atinof means.

lig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an arrangement of theelectrical circuits.

Figs. 6 and 7 yareplan and edge views, respectlvely, of an element ofthecontact membex'- oi' brush.

Referrin first to Fig. 5, which illustrates one mode 0% connectionsuitable for the practice of my invention, 1 and 2 represent the twoconductors of any suitable supplycircuit, ordinarily a constantpotential circuit delivering either direct or alternating current. Theconductor 1 connects at with they conductor 4 which connects with oneter? minal of each of the lamps L1', L11, U and Ls adapted to form alamp cluster for any desired illumination purposes, the lamp Lr beingregulable while the lamps L1, L2 and L?, are connected to operate onlyat full voltage of the supply circuit. The supply conductor 2 connectswith the movable contact or brush member 5 which is adapted toengage thecontactsv 67, 8, 9, 10, 11 and .12, the brush member 5 having suchangular extent that it is adapted to simultaneously engage at least fourof these contacts, when there are four lamps.

A suitable resistance conductor R has its one terminal connected to thecontact 6 and its Other terminal to the contact 9, the contacts 7 and 8being connected to intermediate pointsof theresistance R. The other orremainin terminal of the lamp Lr is connect.- ed to t e contact 9, andthe remaining or other terminals of lamps L1, L2 and La are connectedrespectively with contacts 10, 11 and 12 by conductors 13, 14 and 15respectively. The lamps are customarily held in suitable lamp soc ets16, 17, 18 and 19.

With the brush 5 in the position illustrated in Fig. 5, current is cutoi from all the lamps. By movin the brush 5 in a clock-wise direction itwill first engage contact 6 whereupon current of smallest value will assthrou h lamp Lr causin it to operate at owest canle power, due to t efactthatentire resistance R is in such case in series with it. Movingthe brush into engagement with contact 7 causes a part of resistance Rto be cut out of the lamp circuit with result that it will now glow at ahigher candle power; moving the switch into engagement with contact 8cuts out' a'nother section of resistance R and causes an increaseinintensity of light and when the brush 5 engages Contact 9 resistance Riscut 5 out of circuit and the lamp Lr is connectedl directly across thesupply conductors 1 and 2 and it therefore lows at its highest candlepower. Moving tlie brush into engagement with Contact 10, and remainingin enga ment with contact 9, lamp L'r4 and lamp 1 will both glow at fullcandle power. Mov-` clock-wise direction and the contacts engaged in aninverse order to that described.

A similar embodiment of apparatus to operate in accordance withdescription of Fig. 5 is illustrated in Figs. l to 4 inclusive, 1n whichreference characters corresponding to those in Fig. 5 illustrate similarparts.

Within any suitable support or standard 20 is disposed a pipe 21 throughwhich extend the supply conductors 1 and 2 which may be in the orm of aflexible cord 22. A spider member 23 is screw threaded on the upper endof the ipe 21 and clam s the spun metal shell mem er 24 a ainst tliemember 20. Each of the lamp soc ets 16, 17, 18 and 19, of which 19 isinvisible, is sup orted upon the shell 24 by the usual nipplis 25 uponwhich are threaded the nuts 26 engaging the inner wall of the shell 24.

Threaded into the spider 23 is the bolt 27 surrounded by the insulatingwasher 28 and the insulatin sleeve 29. Surroundin the insulating tu e 29is the metallic tu e or sleeve `30`having the bottom `flange 31 providedwith the lug or ear 32 to which the supply conductor 2 is secured byscrew 33.

The resistance conductor R may be' disposed in any suitable way, but ishere shown as wound in the form of a helical coil embedded in a cylinderof hardened plastic insulating -material 34 having a central cylindricalopening through which the aforementioned tube 30 extends and having theouter sheet metal cover 35. It will be understood that neighboringconvolutions oi the resistance helix are separated and insulated fromcach other. The contact bars (i to 12 inclusive are also molded and heldin the insulatng.material 34, their upper ends forming the contactswhich are shown fiush with the upper surface of the insulating material34. Bars 6` 7, 8 and 9 have lugs or clips 36 by which they lareconnected to the resistance 'conductor R, bars 6 and`9 with oppositeends of the resistanoeR and bars 7 and 8 at points 1intermediate 'theends. These contact bars, `preferably at least bars 9, 10, 11 and 12,extend belowthe lower face of the insulating material 34 and= areprovided with binding screws 37, 38, 39 and 40 by which the conductorsconnectin with one terminal* of each lamp socket o? each lamp are heldin electrical communication with the contact bars.

The cylinder or insulating material 34, in which the l'resistanceconductor R is embedded is held between the iiange 3l of tube 30 andthefla'nge 41 on the metallic tube 42 engaged by the nut 43 threadedupon the tube 30.

Rotatable upon the tube 42 is the tube 44, conned beneath the nut 43,and secured at its lower end to the Washer 45. Secured between theshoulder 46 on the tube 44 and the washer 45 are the disk of insulatingmaterial 47, insulating washer 48` and the four contact springs 49suitably held or secured to the rotatable insulating disk 47 to which issecured the flanged pull chain or cord drum 50 to opposite sides ofwhich -are attached the pull chains or cords 51 and 52 for rotating thedrum 50 and parts attached thereto.

The metallic contact springs 49 have the preferably integral resilientdownwardly inclined portions 53 terminating in the contacts 54 whichform the movable contact member or brush 5 which are in permanentelectrical communication with the conductor 2 through lug 32, tube 30,tube 42, and sleeve or tube 44 and washer 45. The super-imposed contactsprings 49 are preferably secured to register in correct angularposition by prick punchings 55.

Upon the nut 43 rests the insulating Washer 56 upon which rests themetallic shell member 57V whose upper side is engaged by the nut 58threaded upon the bolt 27 which holds the shell 57 at its lower edgeagainst the cylinder of insulating material 34 within which is embeddedthe pin 59 engaging in a notch in the lower edge of shell 57 to reventits rotation with respect to the mem er 34. Attached to the shell 57 isa tube 60 through which the chains or cords 51 and 52 extend to the drum50 and'to the exterior for purposes of manipulation.

Resting upon the head 61 of the shell 24 is a shell 62, slotted at itsupper edge at 63 to receive the tube 60. A cover 64 for the shell 62 isheid in place by the ornamental nut 6 adapted. also to hold a shade.

From the. foregoing description taken in connection with the descriptionof Fig. 5 it will be understood, that by pulling upon one or the otherofthe chains or cords 5l or 52 the drum 50 Will be rotated as willalsothe brush contacts 54 attached thereto, these contacts 54 being allelectrically connected to each other and to the conductor 2, as de`scribed, and "adapted .to engage the conf tacts 6 to 12 inclusive, theangu of the contacts 54 being suliiclent at least to simultaneouslyengage as many contacts as there are lamps in the cluster.

It is obvious that my invention is in no way limited as to the number oflamps in the cluster and that as respecting even a single lamp, featuresof my invention are available. And it will be further understood that myinvention is not limited to the regulation of candle power of only oneof a plurality of lamps, but that more than one lamp of a group orcluster may have adjustable resistance associated therewith.

What I claim is:

1. A regulable lamp cluster comprising a support, a plurality of lamps,holders carried by said support, lamps for said holders, resistanceconductor and a plurality of contact bars embedded in insulatingmaterial, a plurality of said contact bars connecting with saidresistance, a lamp connected with said resistance, the remainder of saidcontact bars connecting with the remainder of said lamps, and relativelymovable contact mechanism adapted to engage said contacts to vary theresistance in the circuit of a lamp and to bring the remainder of saidlamps successively into circuit.

2. A regulable lamp cluster comprising a support, a plurality of lampholders carried by said support, a resistance conductor, a series ofcontacts part of which are connected with said resistance conductor andothers with said lamps, and relatively movable contact mechanism forengaging said contacts in succession and a plurality of themsimultaueously.

3. A resistance conductor and a plurality of contact bars embedded ininsulating material, a plurality of said bars connected to saidresistance, said contact bars extending through said insulating materialand forming contacts at one end and some of said bars ha ving connectorsat the other end, relatively movable contact mechanism adapted to engagethe contact ends of said bars, and a plurality of lamps, said contactmechanism controlling the circuit of part of said lamps directly and ofthe remainder through said resistance.

4. A resistance conductor and a plurality of' contact bars embedded ininsulating material, a plurality of said bars connected to saidresistance, said contact bars extending lar extent v through .said'insulating'. material and forming contacts at one end and some of saidbars .ing with said4 connector ends of said bars, and asupply circuitconnection to said contact mechanism.

5. The combination with an electric lamp, of a stationary mass ofinsulating material, a resistance conductor embedded in said mass, aplurality of contact bars embedded in said mass, connections from aplurality of said bars to said resistance conductor, a rotatable contactcontrolling the circuit of said lamp and adapted to engage said bars, acord actuated member attached to said rotatable contact, and a shellmember inclosing said cord actuated member and said contact in a chamberformed by said shell member and said insulating material.

G. The combination with an electric lamp, of a single stationary helicalcoil of resistance conductor and contact bars disposed parallel to theaxis of said coil and electrically connected to said coil, a mass ofinsulating material embedding said conductor and said contact bars, saidbars having exposed ends, and a rotatable contact member controlling thecircuit of said lamp and adapted to engage said contact bars.

7. The combination with an electric lamp, of a stationary helical coilof resistance conductor and contact bars disposed parallel to the axisof said coil, a mass of insulating material embedding said conductor andsaid contact bars, said bars having exposed ends, a rotatable Contactmember controlling the circuit of said lamp .and adapted to engage saidcontact bars, and an axial supporting member for said insulatingmaterial, said contact rotatable upon said axial member.

8. A regulable lamp cluster comprising a shell, a plurality of lamps onthe exterior thereof supported thereon, a stationary cylindrical mass ofinsulating material within said shell, a resistance conductor and aplurality of contact bars embedded in and supported by said insulatingmaterial, a plurality of said bars connected to said resistanceconductor, others of said bars connected to terminals of said lamps, acontact rotatable about the axis of said insulating material adapted toAengage said bars, and means extending to the exterior of said shell forrotating said contact.

9. The combination with au electric lamp, of a resistance coil, contactbars disposed parallel to the axis of said coil and connected thereto atdifferent points, and a rotatable contact member controlling the circuitof said lamp and comprising superposed simifixed my signature in thepresence of the 1er Contact elements having Contact fingers, subscribingwltnesses.

said elements being displaced with respect to each other to effect aspacing of said CHARLES WIRT' fingers similar to the spacing of saidcon- Witnesses: tact bars. E. A. LYoNs, In testimony whereof I havehereunto af- NELIJE FIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingtheemmissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. 0. A

